Here's What CIA Chief Was Apparently Doing in Russia

CIA Director John Ratcliffe's quiet trip to Moscow this week wasn't a courtesy call. Multiple sources tell outlets including the Wall Street Journal, CBS News, and ABC News he delivered a blunt message: Don't move against NATO countries, amid US intelligence indicating Russia may probe the alliance's resolve through cyberattacks or other nontraditional actions.

The sources say Ratcliffe also warned Russia over its ties to Iran, threatening more sanctions if shipping isn't restored through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the sources. President Trump confirmed the Moscow visit in a radio interview but cast it as "semi-routine" and not centered on NATO or Iran. He added, though, that "something may come out of" the trip tied to his push to end the war in Ukraine. The CIA declined comment; the Kremlin said Ratcliffe met intelligence officials, not Vladimir Putin.